Campaign India Agency Report Card 2010: Grey

Type of agency: Advertising, digital, public relations 

Company ownership:    WPP

Key personnel: Nirvik Singh, chairman and CEO, Grey Group Asia Pacific, Jishnu Sen, COO, Grey India, Bindu Sethi, CSO, Asia Pacific, Malvika Mehra and Amit Akali, NCDs, Sudhir Nair, VP and head, Grey Digital, Tara Kapur, VP and head, Grey Public Relations

Accounts won: Reliance Communications, Ferrero, (Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Joy, Tic Tac, Nutella), Dabur (Fem Bleach and Oxybleach) , Pepsico, Vimal,  Adani (ATRECO), Bharat Nirman, Bharti Axa General Insurance, Killer Jeans, Intex Technologies, Motilal Oswal,  VBJ and Vivanta 

Accounts lost: Audi, Greenlam (Greenply)

A year of Grey being in the news for mostly the right reasons. A series of senior management appointments saw Ogilvy’s Amit Akali and Malvika Mehra take over the creative reins as national creative directors, Karan Rawat of Bates came in as executive creative director, Mumbai, Shiv Parameshwaran and Goral Ajmera joined as senior creative directors, Mumbai, Hari Krishnan was brought in as vice president and Mumbai branch head, and Kavita Gadkari as vice president, planning. At the Delhi office, Divyapratap Mehta was made senior planning director and Amit Shankar, executive creative director and creative head, Delhi. Vijai Ambalavanan (Amby) became branch head, Chennai. G2 Direct & Digital India was named ‘Digital Agency of the Year’ at the Indian Digital Media Awards. Among the business wins announced through the year, the biggest was that of Reliance Communications. Audi though shifted to Creativeland Asia. With the leadership falling in place across its offices, 2011 would be the year to go after more businesses and a metal or two. 

How Campaign India rates the agency: 8

How Grey rates itself: 8.5

2010 has been a fabulous year for Grey on all counts. People, work, and business. Amit and Malu joined us to lead the creative product.  We strengthened all disciplines across the country, loads of people joined, our new business performance was staggering – Dabur, Ferrero, Bharti Axa – leading to the win of the year – Reliance Communications. There’s been great work on Britannia, Bharti Axa  and Intex Technologies, Effie winning work on Breathe Right and a fabulous launch of Sensodyne. We capped this year with outstanding business results, in short, Grey is on a roll and how! Everyone else can watch!